As a result of his collection of data, Pelletier foresees an overall increase of 39 percent in harvesting for the Outaouais region as of April 1, 2023.

This means the . . .

harvest is set at 4,151,700 cubic metres of wood annually which includes all species of wood.

The Outaouais’ forests currently occupy an area of 3,007,150 hectares. Of that total, 33 percent are excluded from harvesting because they are protected territories or wetlands.

Part of his mandate has been to compile information that would help develop a five-year timber harvesting allocation plan for the Ouataouais.

The purpose of calculating allowable cuts is to ensure the maintenance and future growth of the forests.

There are several factors that go into the calculations, including such elements as the current state of the forest, its anticipated growth, meeting social, environmental and economic objectives in order to avoid overharvesting, and considering the impact of climate change.

Territorial and wildlife protection measures, as well as forest management work planned during that time frame are also considered in order to ensure sustainable harvesting practices.

“Other indicators that come into play might include a higher volume allowance considered for the Outaouais’ fir species, since there’s been a good growth rate. Also, an increased harvest for the next ten years was also allowed in order to recover the poplar that are dying anyway due to insect infestations or disease,” said Pelletier.

In addition to timber harvesting, reforestation work, clearing of plantations, maintaining natural strands of forests must all be carried out over a 5-year period and requires an annual budget of $25 million.

What this means for Pontiac producers

What this means, according to Pontiac Forest Products Producers Board President, Nicholas Brodeur, is that the wood management efforts and new growth have all had a positive impact on our forests, however, Pontiac wood producers have nowhere to bring their wood.

“Since the closure of Smurfit-Stone’s pulp and paper mill in 2008, our wood producers have been holding on to a shred of hope for a new environmentally viable and sustainable transformation of our wood products”, said Brodeur.

He added that out of the 3,600 private landowners in Pontiac, only 150 of these are still actively producing wood.

“In 2007 I attended a symposium at the Chateau Cartier in Aylmer, Warden Toller was there as well, there were engineers and scientists who demonstrated new technologies to produce bio- products and they showed how biofuel transformations were being successfully used in European countries. That’s what we need here, it’s a perfect fit for the wood we have here,” said Brodeur.

He added that while politicians have made all kinds of promises in re-igniting the local forest industry, wood producers have not yet seen anything concrete take shape. Since the closure of the mill, Pontiac wood producers have only been cutting 30 percent of their yearly wood production capacity.

“Currently, the wood coming out of Pontiac is being shipped more than 450 kms away to Sherbroke, and the government has proposed subsidies for truckers, but they’re subsidising poverty,” said Brodeur who added it’s difficult to make a living on one load a day.

“Besides, it kind of defeats the purpose of minimizing our carbon footprint,” Brodeur told The Equity.

Brodeur believes that the reopening of the mills in Davidson and Litchfield are not the answers wood producers need for long term viability, since they could never process the capacity of the allotted wood harvest.

“The government has the capacity of adding good ideas and bringing new values to our country, but in the 10 years since the mill shut down, they have done nothing,” said Brodeur.

What is needed, according to Brodeur, is the development of biomass energy transformation, “It’s the way of the future, it’s the only way we can reduce our environmental impact.”

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